In the Odwalla juice company’s 2010 Plant a Tree campaign, state of Michigan employees helped to push our state into the top spot for the second consecutive year – capturing more than $45,000 worth of free trees that will help repopulate areas of state parks that were hardest hit by invasive species. Our parks need your help – and votes – again in 2011, to make it three in a row!

Odwalla’s Plant a Tree program is in its fourth year and will be available in all 50 states. Voting has just gotten under way and time is critical. Last year, states competed for $200,000 in free tree money; this year, that pool is reduced to $100,000. Please visit the website and vote for a tree to be planted in Michigan. One vote equals $1 toward free trees in Michigan state parks. Spread the word to your family, friends, co-workers and anyone who cares about the health and sustainability of Michigan’s natural resources.

Recreation 101:
Everything You Wanted to Know About Recreation But Were Afraid to Ask …

Summer is the perfect time to tackle a new outdoor hobby or activity, and the Department of Natural Resources is offering a variety of fun, FREE learning opportunities through its “Recreation 101: Intro to Summer” program – available at many state parks throughout Michigan. If you're interested in birding, biking, hiking, camping, kayaking, wind-surfing, snorkeling or just about anything in between, Recreation 101 is for you, and it comes with all the gear, guides and good times provided!

Come conquer Michigan's woods and waters with your friends and family through these free, “intro to” events! Recreation 101 kicks off Saturday, June 4, from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Holly Recreation Area in northern Oakland County, where guests can learn more than 15 different kinds of outdoor activities from the best instructors in the state. Rain or shine, Recreation 101 is on - with free ice cream for attendees and the promise of a day your family will never forget. For more information on Recreation 101, visit www.michigan.gov/stateparks - new classes are added weekly, so check back frequently.

We want to see you getting back to your true nature at Michigan state parks and recreation areas and state forest campgrounds this summer. This season, the $10 Recreation Passport (www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport) is your ticket to outdoor adventure and making memories to last a lifetime. With every vote for Odwalla tree dollars and every “YES” to the $10 Recreation Passport, you are helping to keep all of Michigan’s state parks and recreation areas among the very best in the nation.